Robeet big-net



R. BIGNEY.

GAR GOUPLING.

(No Model.)

No. 275,880. Patented Apr.17,1883.

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JY [i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT BIGNEY, OF OOPLESTON, ONTARIO, CANADA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Application filed January 22, 1853. (No model.)

To alt whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT BIGNEVY, engineer, a subject of the Queen ofGreat Britain, and a resident of Oopleston1 in the county of Lambton, iu the Province ot' Ontario, Canada, have invented a new and useful Self-Coupler 'or Coupling Railroad-Gars together, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a coupler for automatically coupling railroad-cars together, which is simple and durable in construction and reliable in operation, and one which can be adjusted and set instantly by the operator at the side or top of' the car in such a manner that the cars will couple when they come together, or allow them to come together and part without coupling, as required, and, the operation of adjusting and setting the coupler to couple or uncouple being performed out from between the cars at the side or top, the operator is not exposed to any danger from accident of any kind whatever when adjusting and setting my improved coupler.

The construction and operation will be more particularly explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a side elevation of part of a car, showing a side view of the draw-bar and adjusting-screw. Fig. 2 is an end view of a car, showing my improved coupler. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the draw-bar.

A designates an upright adjusting-screw. A part of the stem of the screw A,near the upper and lower end, is plain, and turns free in the collars x at the outer ends of the arms B B', which are rigidly secured to the car B2.

A'A2 are wheels rigidly secured on the screw A for the purpose ot' readily and easily turning the screw A, either to the right or left, 'as required, from the top or side of the car B2.

C C are collars rigidly secured on the screw A, which prevent said screw from raising or lowering.

D is a lever fulcrumed on a pivot-bolt, zr', supported in a forked arm, B3, rigidly secured to the car B2. This lever D is provided with forked ends Dl D2, and in the prongs of these forks D D2 the collars E E are pivoted. The collar E is pivoted at two opposite sides in the prongs of the fork D', and on the inner face of this collar E a screw-thread is cut, which engages with thethread on the screw A. By turn- Patent No. 275,880, dated. April 17, 1883.

Patented in Canada J' auuary 29, 1888, No.16,214.

ing the screw A either to the right or left it raises'or lowers the collar E, and with it the outer end, D', ofthe lever D.

F is a coupling pin the end of which projects through the collar E', which is pivoted at two opposite sides in the prongs of theforked end D2 ot' the lever D. 0n theupper end of this coupling-pin F a screw-thread is formed, with which a screw-nut, F', engages and prevents the coupling -pin F from falling outof the collar E when raising the inner end, D2, ofthe lever D.

Gr is a collar on the coupling-pin F, which regulates the distance that the coupling-piu F enters the pin-hole F2 ot' the draw-bar K.

H is a guide rigidly secured to the drawbar K, and is for the purpose of guiding and holding the couplingpin F in an upright position.

I is a col-spring encircling the coupling-pin F, which acts between the collar G on the coupling-pin F and the guide H to force the coupling-pin F down instantly when coupling.

J is a spring-bolt which is projected longitudinally in the draw-bar K by the spring J.

JZ is a key which projects through the bolt J. The ends of this key move back and forth in slots K in the sides of the draw bar K, which allows the spring J to project the bolt J out only sufficient to bring the ange J2 under the lower end of the couplingpin F. The draw-bar K is supported under the car B2 by the collars L L L2, rigidly secured to the bed-frame ofthe car. The rigidity ot' the collars L L2 is further secured by braces M M, the ends otl which are rigidly secured to the bedframe ofthe car B2 at` eachv side of the drawbar.

N N are'keys or bolts which project through the draw-bar K at the inner end, and engage with the collars L L2 and prevent the drawbar K from being drawn ont from the collars L L' L2.

O is a coil-spring encircling the reduced inner end of the draw-bar K. This spring O acts between a shoulder, K2, on the draw-bar K and the collar L2, and diminishes thejar ot the draw-bars K K when they strike together. Vhen the coupling-pin F is in the position shown in Fig. 3 of annexed drawings in both the draw-bars K K the cars are coupled.

To uncouple the cars, turn the screw A to the left, which lowers the collar E, and with it the outer e'nd,D, of theA lever D, until the collarE comes in contact with the stop R, which raises the inner end, D2, of the lever D, and with it the coupling-pin F. The lower end ot the coupling-pin F is raised up clear above the coupling-link T to the position shown in Fig. 2 of annexed drawings, which allows the cars to separate. As this coup ling-pin F is raised the coil-spring I is conipressed between the shoulder G and guide H, and as the cars B2 separate and the couplinglink T is drawn out the boltJ is projected outward by the springJ until the fla-nge Jconies under the lower end of the coupling-pin F, the distance the bolt J is projected outward being regulated by the length of the slot K in the draw-bar K, in which the ends of the key J2 move back and forth. It the coupling-pin F in one draw-bar K is adjusted as shown in Fig. 2 of annexed drawings, and the draw-bar K of the adjacent car as shown in Fig. 3, if these draw-bars K K were to strike together the link would enter the opposite draw-bar, but the cars would part again without coupling. As the coupling-link T is withdrawn the spring J would project the bolt J and flange J3 under the lower end of the coupling-pin F.

It' it is required to couple the draw-bar of the car in which the coupler is adjusted as shown inFig. 2 to a car in which the coupler is adjusted as shown in Fig. 3 ot' annexed drawings, the screw A is turned to the rightv until the collar E is raised, and with it the outer end, D', of the lever D, until the collar E comes in lcontact with the stop R. This lowers the inner end, D2, ot' the lever D, butV not the coupling-pin F, as it remains stationary, the lower end resting on the ange J3 of the bolt J. If a draw-bar K, with the coup'- lng-pin F adjusted as shown in Fig. 3, were to strike this draw-bar when in this position, the thrust ot' the coupling-link T would force thebolt J back and release the coupling-pin F from the flange J3, and the instant the coupling-pin F is released from the flange J3 the coilspring I shoots the coupling-pin F down Y ports the end of the coupling-pin F on its upt per side, but the lower side of theange J3, resting on the end of the coupling-link T, retainsit in a horizontal position directly oppo` site t-he mouth of the opposite draw-bar, so that the operator is not required to go in be-A tween the cars and enter the end of the coupling-link T in the'nioutli of the oppositedrawbar K when coupling the draw-bars K K of the cars together. These stops R R are provided with screw-threads on theirinuer faces, and are adjusted up and down on the screwthread of the screw A for the purpose of reg-l ulating the distance to which the collarE and outer end ot' the lever D are to be raised or lowered to couple or uncouple the draw-bars.

Having thus described my invention, I claimvl. The combination of the adjusting-screw A, provided with wheels A A2 and collars C C', arms B-B, lever D, collars E E', stops R R', arm B3, coupling-pin F, provided with shoulder Gr, nut F', spring I, guide H, drawbar K, provided with slots K', spring J', and spring-bolt J, provided with flange J3, and key J2, constructed substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of thc draw-bar K, keys N N, collars L L L2, coil-spring O, and braces M M, constructed substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose specied.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in the presence ofthe two undersigned witnesses.

GEERT BIGNEY.

Witnesses:

P. J. EDMUNDs, A. EDMUNDS. 

